EU targets over 52,000 households in Yobe with €26m intervention

An official of Save the Children addressing IDPs in a camp.
Photo Credit: Save the Children

OVER 52,000 households will directly benefit from two new European Union (EU)-funded projects aimed at strengthening the recovery and resilience of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups in Yobe State.

“The EU has earmarked €26 million through its 11th European Development Fund for the projects, Kurt Cornelis, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria said on Tuesday at the launch of the project in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.

Cornelis said the projects will expand and deepen the already extensive EU humanitarian and development assistance to the many victims of violence and displacement in Nigeria’s North East while addressing some of the underlying drivers of violent extremism in Nigeria. Proven international implementing partners will execute the projects, over a period of three years.

The project, according to him, is being implemented by Mercy Corps’ Building Resilience in Complex Crisis (BRICC) and Save the Children.

He said Mercy Corps’ Building Resilience in Complex Crisis (BRICC) programme will increase the ability of over 26,000 households to cope with the shocks and stresses of conflict, climate change and complex crisis.

“The €14 million project assigned to Mercy Corps’ will be implemented over a 36 month period in Damaturu, Geidam, Gujba, Gulani, Potiskum, and Yunusari Local Government Areas to support men, women, and youth to meet their immediate early recovery needs and enhance their social protection outcomes,”Cornelis said.

Mercy Corps’ organisation is expected to engage with Yobe communities and local leadership to support and revitalize markets and livelihoods, enhance conflict mitigation systems, and create the conditions to facilitate systemic change.”

“In this way, the project will strengthen resilience capacities for communities, households and individuals in the long-term, and address the underlying causes of crisis,” he said.

To implement this project, Mercy Corps will leverage its expertise in fostering resilience in complex environments both globally and in Northeast Nigeria, with Cooperazione Internationale (COOPI) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC)’s strong track record of delivering relief and early recovery programs in Yobe State.

The EU chief further explained that Save the Children will strengthen early recovery, improved human development, social cohesion and resilience for over 26,000 vulnerable households and communities in Yobe State.

He said the project will do this through enhancing state government capacity to lead, oversee, strengthen and expand its social protection system and delivery of basic services, alongside increased state and community capacity to facilitate reconciliation and social cohesion.

“It will also help vulnerable households and communities in Yobe to become more resilient to recurrent shocks through financial support, and to have diversified livelihoods, through effective support for market recovery, skills development and enhanced state capacity to provide technical assistance,” he said